WQAD reported today on a
Rock Island County Sheriffs Department investigation into the hepatitis A
outbreak in the Quad-Cities area. The outbreak has thus far resulted in
at least 25 confirmed hepatitis A cases since June, most allegedly linked to
the consumption of food and beverages served at the Milan McDonald’s
restaurant, where “patient zero” worked while infectious.

By law, all hepatitis A
cases diagnosed in Illinois are to be reported to proper health
authoritieswithin 24 hours of diagnosis. "Patient zero's" case,
which was diagnosed on June 16th, should have been reported to the Rock
Island County Health Department (RICHD) by June 17th, and would likely have
resulted in the RICHD working with McDonald’s to prevent the spread of
hepatitis A among McDonald’s customers and the exclusion of “patient zero” –
Cheryl Scram -- from the McDonald’s workforce until she was no longer
infectious.

That did not happen,
however, due to a breakdown in Trinity Medical Center’s reporting process
that prevented a timely response by RICHD. According to a WQAD
story:

Trinity Medical Center
blames an internal oversight on their part when it comes to not
reporting a June Hepatitis A case. This outbreak had caused the Milan
McDonalds to close it's doors for a few days last week. Vice President of
Hospital Operations Kathy Cunningham said the Rock Island County Health
Department called them on Monday, [July] 13th, about a June case. Trinity
wasn't' aware of any cases and did their own investigation. That's when the
hospital realized this case, and three other July cases, fell through the cracks.